Author: jackietara

Rose Gold and Blue

Happy New Year! Well, almost. I can’t believe tomorrow is the last day of 2015, a year full of creativity, discovery, and love. Bryan and I are hosting a NYE party tomorrow night and we are in the midst of decorating and preparing for our dearest friends to arrive and make our house warm. Whether you are out celebrating at your favorite bar or gathered at a friend’s house, I wish you a happy new year sprinkled with bliss, laughter, and amazing memories (I know, cheesy, but I’m feeling all of the feels today.) Here’s to a fabulous 2016!

Xo,
Jackietara
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Outfit details:
GAP Sweater similar from Old Navy on sale!
Zara Parka similar on sale!
Vintage Satchel
GAP Ballet Flats
Stella & Dot Birdie Necklace
Stella & Dot Watch
Stella & Dot Pave Triangle Cuff
Stella & Dot Pearl Spike Cuff and Ring

Photography by Bryan Wallace

Gift a Little Sparkle

If you’re anything like me this time of year, you’re anxiously waiting for online orders to come in the mail and still thinking of cute and clever ways to wrap presents… with Christmas only 2 days away. Luckily, we can count on Stella & Dot for our last-minute shopping needs, so we can gift a little sparkle this season (even if we are a tad bit behind)!

Stella & Dot has a gift for everyone on your list, and is promising delivery by December 24th for all orders placed today! To make things even easier, I put together a little Stella & Dot gift guide while you shop stelladot.com/jackietara for all the amazing ladies on your list:

For the edgy trend-setter:
Pave Sphinx Ring
Rebel Pendant
Renegade Cluster Bracelet

For the classic beauty:
Frances Pearl Statement Necklace
Signature Engravable Disc Necklace
Deja Vu Pearl Studs

For the boho babe:
Sahara Pendant Necklace
Union Square Scarf
Aria Cuff

For the dancing queen:
Starburst Ear Jackets
Madison Tech Wallet
Deco Cocktail Ring

For the jet-setter:
Hang On Travel Case
The Getaway Bag
Icon Convertible Watch

Happy Shopping!

Xo,
Jackietara

Photography by Paul B. Jones

P is for Poncho

Once upon a time I said with 85% confidence that I would treat myself to a couple of new items for fall. Fast forward to December and I’m the happy owner of a cozy poncho. Much like a large scarf, the poncho is a mobile blanket – a form of coziness and comfort appropriate enough for daytime outings and the office. (Though don’t get me wrong, if I’m cold enough I will cover myself in a large blanket and wear fingerless gloves at the office. No shame).

Thankfully, Virginia is taking it’s sweet time to roll into winter weather, which means I get to wear this puppy well into December. After the Thanksgiving holiday I fell into a leisurely routine of slumbering, coffee sipping, crosswording, and sporting a uniform of pajamas and/or large sweaters on a daily basis, so I’m hopeful that some stylish comfort-wear will ease my transition back into the craziness that is December events. This is positivity, not delusion…

(P.S. It looks like this poncho is on sale at Old Navy, so you can join me on my cozy crusade!)

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Outfit details:

Old Navy Poncho
GAP 1969 Jeans
Stella & Dot Freya Necklace
Stella & Dot Pave Sphinx Bracelet
Stella & Dot Icon Convertible Watch
BitterSweet Hair Tie Bracelet

Photography by Bryan Wallace

These Boots Were Made for Walking [Around Town]

B and I took advantage of a rare day off mid-week and took a nice walk around our neighborhood. It was a beautiful fall day, one with an endless clear blue sky and crisp newly fallen leaves crunching beneath our feet. We didn’t have a plan and ended up wandering and walking nearly 5 miles around town.

Needless to say, we stopped for happy hour in Old Town, Alexandria to fuel our trek home. I was glad that I decided to wear these over the knee boots instead of a heeled pair. They are super comfy, add a touch of extra warmth with the height, and the purple suede adds a nice pop of color. The perfect boots for a perfect afternoon… a perfectly unplanned pair.

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Outfit details:

Unisa Gillean Over The Knee Boot
GAP Plaid Button-Down similar
Coach Crossbody similar
Stella & Dot Plume Necklace 25% off until Sunday!
Stella & Dot Icon-Convertible Watch
Stella & Dot Maylee Ring

Blanket Scarf in Baltimore

Happy Friday everyone! I’m not sure if it was the blustery weather, long days at the office, or a combination of both, but this week was exhausting and I’m more pumped than usual about the end of the week. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I should be getting excited about the festivities (what’s not to love about parties filled with endless bubbly and delicious meals?!), but right now my idea of a good time is to bunker down in my apartment with a good book and a cup of tea, snuggled up in a giant blanket.

Thankfully, I wore one of my warmest scarves a couple weekends ago when Bryan and I ventured out to Baltimore to visit the National Aquarium. It was a beautiful day, but super windy by the water, so it was blanket scarf to the rescue! I picked it up at the H&M in Union Station last year on my way to New York, and it was one my best purchasing decisions ever. I appreciate when something that I love to wear is not only fashionable and comfortable, but I can continue to wear it year to year. A big “thank you” to whomever invented this thing. Now I can take my cozy bundled up feeling with me wherever I go.

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Outfit details:

H&M Blanket Scarf
Premise Studio Blazer similar from Zara
Stella & Dot Ally Double Wrap Bracelet
Stella & Dot Icon Convertible Watch

Chicago

Chicago-15

A couple weekends ago I took a slightly spontaneous trip to visit my best friend, Brittany, in Chicago. I had been trying to make this trip happen for about a year, when I realized that I had to get there before winter rolled into the windy city.

We landed on a perfectly brisk and sunny weekend, the best kind for exploring. One of my highlights was walking around Brittany’s adorable neighborhood of Andersonville, drinking coffee, and getting brunch at a local spot – Big Jones – where we had the tastiest shrimp and grits, griddle cakes, popovers, salt & pepper biscuits, and complimentary beignets. It was carb overload and I was in heaven.

We also did a little sight-seeing and visited the “big hits” like The Bean and Dylan’s Candy Bar, and caught an amazing view of the city from the Willis Tower, cocktail in hand.

Indigo Girl

This time of year is all about layering and stretching your summer essentials through the first chilly months of the year by adding a couple key pieces. During the summer I’m all about simplicity, avoiding heavy synthetic materials and wearing durable cottons like this white and indigo tunic from World Market.

I’m not going to lie, as much as I love “creating a new wardrobe” by experimenting with different combinations of my existing pieces, layering summer staples also comes from a necessity to stick to the budget (I know, womp womp). Fall is my favorite season – for many reasons, but very much so for the fashion trends – so I am going to allow myself to get a couple of fun new items (stay tuned for my favorite fall picks!) to throw into the mix. What are your favorites so far this season? I sense a cozy poncho in my future…

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Outfit details:

World Market Tunic
Zara Jacket similar
Levi’s Denim on sale!
GAP Booties
Stella & Dot Pearl Spike Cuff and Ring

Photos by Bryan Wallace

The Mrs. Box

I’ve had my eye on a company called The Mrs. Box, who’s dainty velvet ring boxes frequently grace the Instagram and blog feeds of photographers, designers, and bride-to-be’s alike. They recently released their fall collection and I procured two of their new beautiful colors – The Nouvelle and The Scarlett – for two beautiful belles. The boxes themselves are small and light, perfect for housing a delicate engagement ring in it’s time off of a finger. They are handmade with unique limited edition velvet colors and are the ideal match for your most treasured baubles.

Xo,
Jackietara

Montmartre

The last leg of our Morocco trip was a quick stop in Paris. My mom and grandparents who have friends in Montmartre, so we were able to visit them before heading back to the U.S. The gloomy weather in Paris was a drastic change from the warm and sunny days we saw in Morocco, but the grey skies created a kind of calm peacefulness. 24 hours in Paris was not enough, so I will be plotting my return in the near future…

Montmartre-3

Sam + Kyle

I was able to shoot an engagement session for the very first time with my friends Sam and Kyle a few weeks ago. Kyle proposed to Sam in May at Delaplane Cellars – a winery in Virginia – so they wanted to recreate their special moment for their photographs. Bryan joined me on the adventure, and we all met on an uncharacteristically cool day in August for a picnic and a little wine. Sam and Kyle are not the pose-y type, so we kept it casual and fun with a lot of jokes and laughter. It was a perfect afternoon!